You’ve built something people want. Now you need people to actually find it.
This is where most startups die. Not because the product is bad, but because founders treat customer acquisition like a mystery instead of a process. They spray resources across a dozen channels, get mediocre results everywhere, and wonder why growth stalls.
Here’s the truth: one or two channels will drive most of your growth. Your job is to find them, master them, and scale them before your competitors do.
The Framework That Actually Works
Before diving into specific channels, you need a systematic approach. The Bullseye Framework works like this: list every possible channel, rank them by potential, run cheap tests on the top five, then pour resources into whatever works.
Most founders skip straight to execution. They pick content marketing because everyone says content is king, or they try paid ads because they want fast results. Then they’re shocked when three months later they have nothing to show for it.
Test first. Scale second. Always.
Content Marketing and SEO: Playing the Long Game
Content marketing means creating valuable material that attracts your target customers. SEO means optimizing that content to rank in search engines. These channels work together.
When it works: You’re in a market where people actively search for solutions. B2B SaaS, developer tools, and professional services fit this perfectly. Your product solves a complex problem requiring education. You can commit for 6-12 months because content is a compounding investment.
How to execute: Start with keyword research to find what your customers search for. Create genuinely useful content that answers questions better than anything else out there. Think comprehensive guides, not 500-word fluff pieces. Publish consistently and optimize for conversions, not just traffic.
The reality: Content takes time to work. You need runway to sustain 6-12 months before seeing returns. The market is saturated, so you need to be genuinely better, not just present. Competitive keywords can take 6-18 months to rank.
Paid Advertising: Buying Growth (If Your Unit Economics Work)
Paid ads mean buying visibility on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other platforms. It’s the fastest way to test demand and scale acquisition, but only if your numbers work.
When it works: Your customer lifetime value supports it. If customers are worth $5,000 and you can acquire them for under $1,000, paid ads can scale. You need fast feedback and you’re in a competitive market where organic reach is hard.
How to execute: Start with Google Search ads to capture existing demand. Test Facebook for awareness plays with consumer products. Use LinkedIn for B2B with high deal values (only makes sense for enterprise contracts worth $50,000+). Track everything and optimize relentlessly.
The traps: Don’t scale before proving unit economics. Make sure the math works at $1,000/month spend before going to $10,000/month. Ad performance degrades over time, requiring ongoing creative production. Never depend entirely on one platform.
Sales Outreach: Taking Control of Your Pipeline
Sales outreach means proactively contacting potential customers via email, phone, or social channels. It’s the default for B2B companies selling deals over $10,000 annually.
When it works: You’re selling high-value contracts (typically $20,000+). You can clearly identify your ideal customers. Your product requires explanation or customization.
How to execute: Build a targeted list of companies matching your ideal customer profile. Quality over quantity matters here. Personalize relentlessly by referencing something specific about their company. Provide value before asking for anything. Follow up persistently because most deals happen after 5-8 touchpoints.
The reality: Expect 1-3% response rates. You’ll send hundreds of emails for each meeting booked. Rejection becomes routine. Scaling requires hiring a sales team, which means building process and management capability.
Product-Led Growth: Let the Product Sell Itself
Product-led growth means your product is the primary driver of acquisition and conversion. Users sign up, experience value quickly, and upgrade without talking to sales.
When it works: Your product has a clear value moment that happens quickly (Slack’s first message, Dropbox’s first file synced). The product works for individuals or small teams without customization. You have viral mechanisms built in through collaboration or sharing features.
How to execute: Eliminate signup friction completely. Optimize time-to-value by measuring how long from signup to first meaningful action, then reduce that number. Build virality into core workflows naturally. Use product usage patterns to identify and qualify upgrade-ready users.
The challenges: Most users never convert. Expect 2-5% conversion from free to paid, which means you need massive top-of-funnel volume. Enterprise deals still need sales even with PLG generating the initial leads.
Partnerships: Leveraging Others’ Audiences
Partnerships mean working with other companies to reach their customers through integrations, co-marketing, reseller arrangements, or affiliate programs.
When it works: You serve the same customers as potential partners but aren’t competitive. Partners have strong existing relationships with your target market. You can provide clear value to partners through revenue share, lead flow, or product enhancement.
How to execute: Identify who already serves your ideal customers. Build technical integrations that make your products work together. Create co-marketing campaigns like joint webinars or case studies. Formalize referral terms with explicit revenue share and expectations.
The challenges: Partnerships take 3-6 months to set up and longer to generate results. You’re dependent on partners’ priorities. Revenue sharing (typically 20-30%) cuts into margins.
Social Media and Community: Building Your Own Audience
Social media means building followers on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Community building means gathering customers in a space you control like Slack groups or Discord servers.
When it works: Your founder or team has personality and expertise to share. You’re targeting people active on specific platforms. You can commit to consistent content creation because social media rewards daily presence.
How to execute: Pick one platform and dominate it rather than spreading thin. Provide value before selling with a 90% value, 10% promotion ratio. Engage authentically by replying to comments and building relationships. Track what resonates and double down.
The truth: Building meaningful followings takes years. Algorithm changes can destroy your reach overnight. Conversion rates from social audiences are typically low without clear calls-to-action.
Choosing Your Channels: The Decision Framework
You can’t do everything. Here’s how to prioritize based on your situation:
Low-price, self-serve products: Content, SEO, paid ads, product-led growth High-value B2B: Sales outreach, partnerships, events Consumer products: Social media, influencers, viral mechanics Developer tools: Community, content, product-led growth
Match channels to your resources: Limited budget: SEO, content, community, organic social Decent budget: Paid ads, partnerships, events Mostly time: Sales outreach, social media, community building
Test systematically: Run small experiments across 3-5 channels. Give each 30-60 days and defined budget. Measure cost per acquisition and customer quality. Double down on what works, kill what doesn’t.
The companies that win aren’t trying everything. They’re the ones that find their channel, master it completely, and then layer on secondary channels once the first is optimized.
Stop spreading thin. Start testing systematically. Your breakout channel is waiting.